MO - Police puzzled as Jasen Smith, 44, dies after "mysterious injury" in concert aftermath, 2019

[blankenship]

Man's death after mysterious injury at Dave Matthews Band concert has Maryland Heights police puzzled (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Seven minutes.

That’s how long a man and his wife were apart at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater after a Dave Matthews Band concert last week before he was found mysteriously wounded. He died later at a hospital.

Jasen Smith, 44, went in search of a souvenir T-shirt his wife, Darcy, had misplaced at the concert venue. When he didn’t return, she called him at about 11:10 p.m. and a paramedic answered.

She rushed to her husband’s side and found him unconscious and bleeding from his ear. He died the next day, said Maryland Heights Detective Sgt. Rich White.

Maryland Heights police are now hoping witnesses who may have seen how Jasen Smith was injured will contact them. Investigators are searching for a good Samaritan they say alerted a security guard to Smith’s limp body lying in concrete pathway between the lawn and the seats, White said.

--more at link--

 

[Coppertop15]

Weird. Can you have a rupture from the noise of a concert?

 

[ClaireNC]

“Doctors determined Jasen Smith suffered a blunt force injury to the back of his head that fractured his skull and a cut to his lip, said family attorney, Chip Gentry.

Gentry believes something, not someone, hit Jasen Smith.

“The family is certainly looking for any leads of anyone that saw what either hit Jasen or may have hit Jasen,” Smith said”

Man's death after mysterious injury at Dave Matthews Band concert has Maryland Heights police puzzled

Dave Matthews concerts are not particularly rowdy. Sounds like it might have been an accident.

 

[ilovewings]

That is absolutely heartbreaking. I hope they find out what happened. horrible.

 

[TedFrank]

I am no expert, but it sounds like a robbery attempt gone bad.

This person was probably casing him all night, maybe noticed he was drunk and then hit him thinking he had something worthwhile to steal.

Someone was around and he just left him for dead.

That is the only conclusion that makes sense because his head wounds were severe and markedly worse than seen from falling down.

The lawyer is going to be leaning on the side of unsafe condition (premises liability), just FYI.

When I was at Chesterfield Amphitheater I saw a guy standing on a stone bench/hand rail to get a better view of the concert and he was told to get down immediately. They are even more sticklers at Hollywood Casino Ampitheater, a much bigger venue. Plus you can believe the casino's lawyers have combed that place for any hazardous structure, no matter how small. Unless he just fell down some steps and dragged himself to the walkway where he collapsed. Even if he had had an accident, there would’ve been someone there that heard it or saw it, one would think.

It looks more like foul play because some guy probably coaxed him to a private area like behind the bathrooms or something.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I'm certainly no expert in people dying at concert venues, but based on what has been reported, it sounds like he was hit by a heavy boom, or other heavy equipment used by the band/venue as they were starting to disassemble, when he went back for the shirt.

 

[Trudie]

I'm certainly no expert in people dying at concert venues, but based on what has been reported, it sounds like he was hit by a heavy boom, or other heavy equipment used by the band/venue as they were starting to disassemble, when he went back for the shirt.

Wow, interesting thought.
I wish the person that alerted security would come forward. Like, why not?

 

[Razz]

From the description of blunt force object in the back of the head and a cut lip sounds like whatever hit him from behind, sent him forward on his face.

 

[Trudie]

From the description of blunt force object in the back of the head and a cut lip sounds like whatever hit him from behind, sent him forward on his face.

It musta been a heck of a blow.

 

[TedFrank]

What is puzzling me is that in a MAXIMUM of seven minutes all of the following happened:

1. V was readmitted to the concert venue after the concert was over
2. He walked the long distance from the exit gate back to the seating area
3. something happened to him to knock him unconscious
4. a good Samaritan alerted a security guard to Smith’s limp body lying in a concrete pathway
5. a paramedic was called
6. a paramedic responded

It probably happened in less time because it would have been a coincidence if the wife called at the exact second the paramedic arrived.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

zero updates to this. Really curious what happened here...

 

[Curiousobserver]

More info here:

Maryland Heights PD on Twitter

 

[Elainera]

Puzzling and sad. His wife must be beside herself right now.

I wonder if the head injury was so severe that he dropped down right when it happened, or did he continue walking for a bit and then collapsed? If he fell down immediately shouldn't it be obvious what hit him or fell on him as this item would be lying somewhere close?

Or, if this was an accident someone possibly caused it by moving some equipment or something else heavy, and then fled when they realised it hit a person, taking the piece of equipment with them.

Another thought, are there stairs he could have fallen down from (backwards?), or did he attempt to climb over a barrier/fence and fell down? Was he running?

Is there cctv footage?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Is there cctv footage?

RSBM: There is a reply to that piece that indicates cameras are currently being installed. Take it for what it's worth, I guess.

Yeah, I think I'd want to talk to the person who flagged down help for sure. If is is true that said person "flagged down a security guard" then that security should be able to give a good description of said person. That is certainly part of their (security guards at arenas) training.

Of course, gently speaking, security guard might be someone to continue talking with as well.

 

[Podengo]

It doesn’t make sense to me that someone with medical training would flag down security and then leave. Maybe if they were too drunk or high to deal with police and such...

 

[Razz]

Was his wallet or money missing? Any valuables he may have been wearing?

 

[Itsmevkb]

He goes back, sees someone else taking the t-shirt/walking with a t-shirt, says something along the lines of "Hey, that's my wife's" and a fight ensues with him being struck on the head? I would think if something fell and hit him that would have been obvious because the object would be there or close by.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I have to believe LE is working this case. A read of the original articles reminds me that there has to be way more to this than a simple fall, and so many more questions to ask. IMO it could have been anything at this point. Not enough facts reported to form a theory... Very tragic for this family...

 

[Razz]

I have to believe LE is working this case. A read of the original articles reminds me that there has to be way more to this than a simple fall, and so many more questions to ask. IMO it could have been anything at this point. Not enough facts reported to form a theory... Very tragic for this family...

I was thinking....maybe the guy ran into him. Both men were running and boom! right into each other. Maybe it cut his lip and he fell flat back on his head. Maybe the guy checked him out, knew he was in bad shape, notified security and then skeedaddled not wanting to get involved even though he knew it was an accident but also knowing he'd done all he could to "help". If that was the case, I hope he contacts police so the family can have some closure.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I was thinking....maybe the guy ran into him. Both men were running and boom! right into each other. Maybe it cut his lip and he fell flat back on his head. Maybe the guy checked him out, knew he was in bad shape, notified security and then skeedaddled not wanting to get involved even though he knew it was an accident but also knowing he'd done all he could to "help". If that was the case, I hope he contacts police so the family can have some closure.

Yep, sadly, this is completely plausible with what we know. Awful, awful, awful...